New owners of the New Jersey Devils praise Lou Lamoriello’s ‘special sauce’

Lou Lamoriello is the New Jersey Devils. The team’s CEO, president, and general manager has been running the show in Newark since 1987. During his remarkably long and successful run, the Devils have missed the playoffs only four times and have three Stanley Cup championships. Outside of Martin Brodeur and maybe in a humorous nod, David Puddy, Lamoriello is the most recognizable face of the franchise. And the new owners of the team are keenly aware of it.

Which is why when the new ownership group fronted by Philadelphia 76ers owner Josh Harris met with the media on Thursday after making the purchase of the team official, to a man they stressed that no changes would be made insofar as Lou Lamoriello is concerned.

Why? He’s got sauce. Special sauce, even.

Said Josh Harris: “We believe in Lou and what he’s doing. We believe in the success of the Devils both short and long term.”

Said co-owner David Blitzer, “I would like to think that Lou would stay with this team for as long as he would like.”

But before Blitzer said that, he offered up this rather curious quote:

“This team has stood for excellence and we don’t want to fiddle with excellence.”

“I was joking with Lou the other day, he’s got some special sauce.”

Wait. What? That’s, uh, gross? I think?

While making exact sense of Blitzer’s “special sauce” comment is difficult to do, it’s pretty clear what the man meant: Lamoriello has enjoyed unparalleled success running the Devils operation and there’s no need to mess it up just because ownership changed hands. Because of the special sauce, of course.

Little do they know that Lamoriello’s special sauce is pretty much just a combination of mayonnaise and sweet pickle relish, much like the Big Mac. Only he calls it the Big Mick. Or something.